A Whole New World
by AngelicPyro
Summary: When Mark Calloway heard he was getting a new stepdaughter he was thinking a quiet, wellmannered child like his wife. Boy was he ever wrong. R&R please?
1. Default Chapter

Mark sat with his new wife at his side. They were headed to her house  
to announce their marriage to her daughter. Why she hadn't been told  
he didn't know. So on they went; all the way thinking his new family  
would be a sweet wholesome southern family. After all his wife was  
born and raised in Mississippi. He let his thoughts wander to what his  
"daughter" was going to be like. Maybe she would be a southern belle  
with long flowing hair and perfect manners. Or maybe a hillbilly with  
no front teeth. He thought of every possible stereotype. But he never  
once thought of a little hell raiser.  
  
They pulled up to a white two-story house with powder blue trim. He  
could see a light on in what he was guessing was the living room. His  
wife, Norah, stepped out of the car and told him to wait there. He  
couldn't help but wonder why. Maybe she was a fan. That could be  
interesting. He sat there waiting for Norah to return; telling him it  
was ok to come in. After what seemed like an eternity, but in reality  
couldn't have been more than 2 minutes, he decided to go in. What he  
heard made him stop dead in the doorway.  
  
"What do you mean you got married?! To a wrestler!? So you expect me to  
pack  
up my life, go on the road and be the perfect fucking daughter? Yeah  
right," screamed a voice he didn't know.  
  
"Sarah, please just give him a chance," pleaded his wife.  
  
"Please tell me its one that I can stand, at least," sighed who he  
guessed was Sarah, "What's his character's name?"  
  
"The Undertaker," she said softly.  
  
"Oh my god! You married that dick!?" Sarah asked in disbelief, "Why not  
someone I actually like?"  
  
"They're all younger than me...by a lot," she explained.  
  
Mark decided to step in at that moment. What he saw caused him to do a  
double take. Norah was barely 5 feet tall, blonde haired and blue eyed.  
Sarah was at least 5 foot 10 inches tall, amethyst eyes that couldn't be  
real and dyed black hair with blue stripes. She had a set of headphones  
around her neck and a Nirvana cd case in her hand. She had 3 spikes through  
her left eyebrow and a ring in her lip. She had to have at least 10 studs  
in each ear starting with a black at top and a diamond at the bottom, going  
in perfect shades that got lighter as you went down. She was wearing a pair  
of hip huggers that fit loosely and a wife beater that stopped above her  
bellybutton. She had another hoop through her navel too. She looked and  
acted badass. Mark had counted 25 piercings so far.  
  
"You should never disrespect your parent like that," he said quietly.  
Sarah's head whipped around and she glared at him with everything she had.  
She said nothing, and after glaring for a minute or two stalked off to her  
room. He wrapped an arm around his wife, thinking "What the hell have I  
gotten myself into?"  
  
(Please review. This is my first wrestling fic and I'd like to know how it  
is. I should have the next chapter up soon.) 


	2. Well Well Well, a prodigy

The rest of the night went rather uneventfully. Sarah didn't come down for dinner, but he could hear Linkin Park blasting from her stereo speakers. He and Norah went to bed and did married people things. Later he was awoken from a loud pounding sound coming from downstairs. He felt his wife stir.  
  
"Not again," she mumbled, " That's Sarah playing her drums. She seems to play best at ungodly hours of the night." She climbed out of bed and walked out of the room. He soon heard angry words and not long after that he saw a livid Sarah fly past their bedroom door. He knew her room was the attic. Soon Norah got back into his arms and they both fell asleep. Though, not before Mark glanced at the clock. It was 3:36 AM.  
  
The next morning, he awoke to an empty bed. He stumbled downstairs and saw his wife cooking breakfast. Sarah was nowhere to be seen. Then he heard a soft melancholy sound floating up from the downstairs.  
  
"Don't tell me. She plays piano too?" he asked.  
  
"And violin, viola, cello, string bass, acoustic, electric and bass guitar. She's something along the lines of a prodigy," his wife sighed.  
  
"Who's song is she playing?" he asked as she placed a plate of food in front of him.  
  
"Probably hers. Piano was her first instrument. She started when she was 4. Then she picked up the 4 orchestra instruments. Then when she was 10 she discovered rock music," she explained sitting down.  
  
He shook his head; this was more than he bargained for. A few minutes later Sarah wandered upstairs, drumsticks in hands. She was wearing hoops in her ears that started tiny and got bigger as they went down today. She also had a stud in her lip. She had on her headphones and was silently mouthing the words. He caught a glint of silver there too. 26 piercings all in all. Norah smiled at her daughter. Sarah said nothing, didn't smile back. She simply sat down, not reaching for something to eat or anything.  
  
"Don't you want anything to eat?" her mother asked. Sarah raised her left eyebrow, the one with all the spikes. Then Mark realized they weren't spikes, they were what appeared to be staples. He couldn't see her bellybutton, but he was willing to bet there was something different than last night.  
  
"If you're not gonna eat then at least take off the damn headphones," Norah snapped. All of a sudden a very familiar tune hit his ears. Sarah pulled a little silver phone out of her pocket, took her headphones off and answered it. She said nothing more, just listened to the person on the other line.  
  
"Jesse is headed over, so he can say goodbye, ok?" she asked a defeated look in her eyes.  
  
"No! That bastard does not need to be here!" Norah roared.  
  
"Bastard? I'm more of a bastard than he is! I can't help that you don't like his parents, because they're actually HAPPY, but he's my best friend. So he's coming over. End of story," Sarah said her eyes flashing. Normally, Norah wasn't one to back down. Mark had learned from experience. But he saw his wife literally shrink back and nod. He thought, "Well at least now I know what I got myself into."  
  
(Thank you sooooo much for reviewing. I'm sorry that it took so long to update, but I was at my dad's. Hope you like the new chapter. Discalimer: Recognize anything? I DON'T OWN IT!) 


	3. Brownie points are always good

Sarah went into the living room and turned on the stereo, a song he'd never  
heard blasting out of the speakers.  
  
He was working through college on my grandpa's farm.  
I was thirsting for knowledge and he had a car.  
I was caught somewhere between a woman and a child.  
When one restless summer we found love growing wild.  
On the banks of the river on a well beaten path.  
It's funny how those memories they last.  
Like strawberry wine at seventeen.  
The hot July moon saw everything.  
My first taste of love oh bittersweet.  
Green on the vine.  
Like strawberry wine.  
  
I still remember when thirty was old.  
And my biggest fear was September when he had to go.  
A few cards and letters and one long distance call.  
We drifted away like the leaves in the fall.  
But year after year I come back to this place.  
Just to remember the taste.  
Of strawberry wine at seventeen.  
The hot July moon saw everything.  
My first taste of love oh bittersweet.  
Green on the vine.  
Like strawberry wine.  
  
The fields have grown over now.  
Years since they've seen the plow.  
There's nothing time hasn't touched.  
Is it really him or the loss of my innocence.  
I've been missing so much.  
Like strawberry wine at seventeen.  
The hot July moon saw everything.  
My first taste of love oh bittersweet.  
Green on the vine.  
Like strawberry wine.  
  
Norah, after the song had finished, tugged on his arm. They'd all supposed  
to have been going out to dinner. Evidently, Sarah was going to be staying.  
So off they went, just Mark and Norah. He couldn't help but wonder why  
Sarah was so offstandish. She was probably really nice to her friends. He  
also couldn't believe Norah would leave her daughter alone, with a guy. He  
let his thoughts wander all through dinner, not paying attention to  
anything.  
  
They got home three hours later, they'd also seen a movie. But Mark  
couldn't have told you what movie, where'd they'd gone before dinner, or  
anything else about the night. When they walked through the door, he heard  
a sound he thought he'd never hear, Sarah was laughing. They walked into  
the living room and saw Sarah sitting in a chair, dressed in pajamas and  
sitting with her legs slung over some guy's shoulders who was sitting at  
her feet. This was Jesse, he supposed. He was painting her toenails. She  
was braiding his hair, that was longer than Sarah's.  
  
"Why doesn't your mom like me?" he asked, "I mean, you had to go off on her  
to even let me come over, right?"  
  
"I'm not sure, I know she doesn't like your parents, that's definitely part  
of it. I think she's homophobic too. That would explain the absolute  
loathing of you," Sarah said, distracted, "This other guy I was friends  
with, back in California, he turned out to be gay. She changed my school! I  
never saw him again." She was suddenly sad.  
  
Mark turned to his wife and asked, "Are you homophobic?"  
  
She simply nodded. "Sarah does NOT need to be around guys that have crushes  
on the same guys as her."  
  
Mark raised an eyebrow, Sarah was right behind her mother listening to  
everything she was saying. Norah just kept ranting on and on and on. Sarah  
began to grow extremely angry. Jesse walked up behind her, wrapping his  
arms around her slender waist.  
  
"You're going to have one hell of a time fitting in at the shows, there's  
gotta be gay guys there! I mean, look at Rico. After all I am the resident  
expert," Jesse said, not any happier than Sarah.  
  
Norah, at least, had the shame to look embarrassed. Mark shook his head and  
walked into the living room to watch TV and ignore his wife. Sarah and  
Jesse went and sat back down like they had been, talking quietly so they  
wouldn't disturb him. Norah tried to curl up next to him, but he moved to  
the other chair. Norah stormed upstairs. Sarah caught his eye, and smiled a  
brilliant smile at him. He smiled back, knowing he had scored major brownie  
points. 


	4. Lots of homophobic reasons

Mark fell asleep in the chair a few hours later. He awoke to the sun shining in his eyes and he could hear soft voices coming from the back porch. He stumbled into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Then he stood by the sliding door, listening to Sarah and Jesse's conversation.  
  
"No way! I mean, think about it. He's like 10 years older than me, hairy and smells. So what if he's a sweet heart?" Jesse asked.  
  
"One: he's only 3 years older than you, two: hair is what waxing and shaving was invented for and three: cologne works wonders. Remember what you were like before I introduced you to Bod?" Sarah asked laughing.  
  
"Those are all very valid points, but I don't want my guy smelling like he bathed in a French whore house!" Jesse exclaimed.  
  
"Same here. So teach him about two person showers. Those are always fun. Or get scented bubbly stuff for your hot tub," Sarah said nodding, "plus, like you said, he's a real sweetheart and he adores you. He would change the world for you from what I hear."  
  
"Really? He would?" Jesse asked, his mind clearly changed. Mark opened the curtains and saw Sarah half-laying on Jesse in a hammock. Jesse had lazily slung his arms around her and they were gently rocking.  
  
"He IS my brother, ya know. He does tell me things. Come on Jesse! Im sick and tired of seeing Junior miserable. Please, please, Jesse. For me?" she pleaded, giving him puppy dog eyes. She'd taken out the purple contacts and had a pair of glasses on.  
  
"Ok fine. But only 'cuz I love you and don't like you using your puppy dog eyes on me," he sighed. Sarah smiled and threw her arms around him, kissing his cheek.  
  
"I love you too, Jesse, and I'm gonna miss you like hell," she said burrowing herself in his chest. Mark heard someone enter the kitchen behind him. He turned around and came face-to-face with Norah.  
  
"You have a gay son. That explains a lot. Care to explain the rest?" Mark asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Not really," she sighed, starting on breakfast. The sliding door slid open and in walked the two tired teenagers. Sarah plopped down at the kitchen table, Jesse soon followed suit.  
  
"Junior's coming over later, right?" Sarah asked. Norah didn't even glance at her. " I'll take that as a yes. Well you can talk to him then, after I do. I'll work on the smelly thing, OK?"  
  
"Okay. Speaking of which, I smell kinda funky. I'm gonna go take a shower. I'll be back down in a little while," he said, skipping off.  
  
"Just don't use my shampoo this time! You smelt really, really girly after that and no guy would go near you!" Sarah yelled after him. She shook her head. "Tell him I'm downstairs when he gets out, will ya?" she asked, heading for the basement. Mark soon heard an amazing guitar riff. It was from Guns 'N Roses "Sweet Child 'O Mine."  
  
"She's got pretty good taste in music," he said, to nobody in particular.  
  
"That's about the only thing she got from me," Norah sighed, setting pancakes down in front of him. "Everything else is her father. Looks, attitude and even her choice in men. My problem with gay guys stems from the fact that my first husband left me for another man. Ever since then, I'm pretty squeamish around them. Even my son," she explained. As if on cue, the doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it!" Sarah yelled, running up the stairs. A minute later, she walked upstairs with a young man in tow.  
  
"Mark, this is Junior, my big brother. Junior, this is Mark, our stepfather," she said. Mark stood and shook his hand. He wasn't really all that hairy. And he didn't look that much older than Sarah. He didn't smell bad either.  
  
"I'm going to go see how much longer Jesse's gonna be. I need my shower," she mumbled walking out of the kitchen. She came back down a few minutes later looking pissed.  
  
"He's screwing around with my make-up. He's a weirdo," she muttered. The silence was thick and uncomfortable. A few minutes later Jesse walked down the stairs, his hair slicked back. His eyes lit up when he saw Junior.  
  
"See, I worked on the smelly thing. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go take a shower," she said heading towards her room. Half an hour later she walked downstairs, wearing a pair of baggy jeans and a top that stopped right at her navel. She had hoops through her eyebrow, little moons that changed sizes as they went down, and a little dolphin hanging off of her bellbutton. She'd also put on make-up. She'd rimmed her eyes in heavy black eyeliner, put on gold eyeshadow and had long flirty lashes.  
  
"Well, its time to hit the mall," she said throwing a arm around the two boys.  
  
(Thank you to everybody for all the reviews! The only one I DIDN'T appreciate was from Dana. I have been an Undertaker fan for as long as I can remember. I know his wife is named Sara but the spellings are different. Sarah is my best friend and she acts a lot like this. It was odd but in no way intentional.) 


	5. Some insight

The trio came strolling back in the doors around 3 hours later, laden with shopping bags.   
  
"I swear, you two are worse than me," Mark heard Sarah laugh as they walked in.  
  
"That's what happens when you go shopping with gay guys," Jesse said.  
  
"I cannot believe I let you guys talk me into not only a dress, but matching heels. Aren't I tall enough?" Sarah grumbled as they headed up the stairs.   
  
"Well this way, you can look all feminine and girly when you meet all the cute wrestlers," her brother explained. Mark heard a very audible smack.  
  
"Yea, that's my goal in life. Being a man's fucking Barbie doll," Sarah snapped. She silently headed up to her room while the two males walked into the living room, frowning. The frowns deepened as they saw Mark and Norah cuddled on the couch.  
  
"Ya still got a room here, right?" Jesse asked. His boyfriend nodded silently. They took off to do whatever it is they do. 45 minutes later, Sarah came stumbling down the stairs, headed towards the basement. She glared with every ounce of energy she had at the couple. Her hair was now pink. She continued her descent. A haunting melody that sent chills down Mark's back floated up the stairs.   
  
"Jesus fucking Christ. She can never remember to shut that damn door," Norah muttered, standing. Mark silently pulled her back down.  
  
"I'll do it," he said, softly kissing her head. He quietly walked down the stairs, not wanting to interrupt the beautiful song. He saw his stepdaughter playing a cello, her eyes shut and silent tears flowing down her face. He stood just inside the door, the melody chilling him down to the bone. It seemed like she was pouring every ounce of pain, hate, anger and the like out through her instrument.   
  
'Well, what do you expect? You've popped up and now her life's being totally rearranged' said that annoying little voice that was his conscience. It sounded oddly like Glenn Jacobs, his best friend.   
  
He told it to fuck off and set his sights on Sarah. He watched her long, nimble fingers fly over the strings. The bow moved perfectly, never too long or too choppy. He glanced around the room. It was shockingly big and held just about every instrument he could name. Everything his wife said Sarah could play, then some. There was a harp in one corner, a mandolin settled against a wall.   
  
He was so engrossed in his studies that he didn't notice the music had stopped. Sarah was watching him with a half irritated, half amused look. She'd never paid that close of attention to him before, not even on TV. He had reddish hair. She couldn't help but wonder if he had green eyes. Those normally went together. All of a sudden guilt crept up on her. She'd judged him by a character he played on television. She felt the tears well up in her eyes again, then froze. He'd seen her cry. Nobody had seen her cry in years. She refused to look weak. She softly laid the cello on the floor and buried her head in her hands.   
  
This small action caught the big man's attention. He crouched down in front of her and attempted to coax her hands away from her face. He wasn't having very much luck. He heard someone step behind him, and came face-to-face with his wife, who was looking utterly pissed. 


	6. Mommy's little secret

"Guess what I caught those two doing upstairs," Norah snapped at her daughter.  
  
"I'm gonna have to say either kissing or fucking," she said, her voice rather muffled. Her mother glared at her.  
  
"It's your fault. You set them up. I will not have two men fucking in my house," Norah roared. At this Sarah's head snapped up, smeared makeup and all.  
  
"Ya see, that's where you're wrong. This ain't your house. Its mine, and they can do what they damn well please," the younger woman said, her voice low and dangerous, "Or have you forgotten that your father left everything he owned, including this house, to ME?"  
  
Mark frowned at that revelation. Sarah stood in one fluid motion and glared at her mother.  
  
"I will not hesitate to throw your ass out on the street as soon as I turn 18 if you don't get your act together, ya hear me?" she asked. Norah nodded meekly. His wife then stormed upstairs, causing Sarah to sigh softly and sit back down.  
  
"Do you wanna explain this one to me, kid?" he asked sitting on the floor in front of her. This simple act made her innocently crack up.  
  
"Ya see, my mom wasn't exactly a daddy's little girl. She slept around, did drugs all that wonderful stuff. She managed to convince him she stopped when she married my dad. And it worked. Until my dad caught her shooting up and left. I'm assuming by the shocked look on your face she told you he left for another man?" she stated. He nodded wordlessly.  
  
"A word of advice then. Don't file for divorce until you can get proof she's cheated on you. She will, trust me. Especially if we're going on the road with you. She can't stay away from big muscly guys for some reason. My dad was one, even though I can't remember him. If you file now, she'll suck everything you got from you. She's like a damn leech," she said unhappily, "One more thing, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention I told you this. I do wanna meet some wrestlers, and she'd forbid me from going." She stood again and headed up to her room. Mark stayed there on the floor, musing over whom to believe.  
  
*************  
  
Sarah sat silently in her room, a drawing pad in front of her. She had hundreds of drawings in here, most accompanied by poems. The ones that didn't were sketches of tattoos she wanted to get. There was a crescent moon surrounded by little starts. A black heart with a red rose wrapped around, it a thorn pushing its way into the heart and making it bleed. An angel crying black tears. No one was allowed to look in this but her. It would give anyone far too much insight to her and that meant even more pain than she was already dealing with. She heard a soft knock on her door, which was situated on the floor. She crouched down next to, opened it and was looking at her best friend. He took one look at the smudged makeup and knew something bad had happened. Sarah never cried.  
  
"Why don't you let me up, so we can talk?" he asked gently. She tossed the rope ladder down to him. He silently climbed up and tugged the ladder up after him. He still hadn't figured out how Sarah got into her room after leaving it.  
  
"I told Mark the truth," she whispered.  
  
"You don't even like the guy and you're trying to protect him?" Jesse asked, incredulous.  
  
"No one deserves to be lied to," she said looking him straight in the eye, a look in her eyes that would chill even the most of unfeeling people. 


	7. Dinner with friends

Sarah frowned when the doorbell rang. She wasn't expecting anyone. Then her mother yelled up the stairs to change into something nice and come down to meet the company. Sarah's frown deepened, her mother knew she owned a dress now...damn it. She quickly shimmied into it, thanking God she'd shaved earlier. She grabbed the shoes that matched and jumped down onto the floor below her room, tumbling slightly. She wiggled the shoes onto her feet and made her way downstairs. She only stumbled twice, that was pretty good. Jesse had all but run away after she had revealed that someone else was worming their way into her heart.   
  
"Ok, what is it make Sarah feel tiny day or something?" she muttered as she saw the two huge men sitting on the couch. She almost tripped again and finally just shouted "Fuck a duck, damn it. I shoulda been a guy, I wouldn't have to wear heels. Junior get your goddamn ass down here so I can chuck them at you." Then calmly walked into the living room, shoes in hand, met with her mother's glare. She rolled her eyes and gave her one back that was ten times as intense.  
  
"Well, Mark, ya got yourself a little spitfire here," smirked a man with long blonde hair. (I wrote this before he lost his beautiful hair.)   
  
"Damn straight," Sarah proclaimed proudly, "So, who are you?"  
  
"This is Kevin Nash, and Glenn Jacobs, otherwise known as Kane," Mark said.  
  
"Duh! I watched the WCW, I shoulda known that," she muttered, smacking her forehead, "I mean it wasn't like I wasn't a huge fan or anything....." she trailed off heading into the kitchen. Junior and Jesse sunk downstairs, looking flushed. Sarah wandered back out, now shoeless, and frowned.  
  
"Jesus Christ, don't you guys do anything other than fuck?" she snapped. They both turned a rather interesting shade of red, causing Kevin, Glenn, and Mark to laugh. Sarah plopped down in an empty chair, absently crossing her legs. Dresses sucked. The two embarrassed young men headed out to the back yard, causing Sarah to yell after them "Don't even THINK about doing it on my trampoline."  
  
"Do you think you could be any meaner?" Kevin asked, somewhat shell-shocked.  
  
"They blackmailed me into buying this damned dress and the shoes. I'll be as nasty as I please," she grumbled.  
  
"Oh really? And how is that a bad thing? It looks pretty damn good on you," Glenn said, laughing softly. Mark certainly had a handful. She frowned at him, damn she was doing that a lot lately, and shrugged.  
  
"I'm not exactly a "girly girl" in case the piercings didn't give that away. Also, if you weren't a guest you'd have one hell of a whupping coming to you," she said her eyes twinkling with laughter.  
  
"Really? You think you can beat me up?" the huge man asked, raising an eyebrow.   
  
"Mm-hmm," she nodded, hair flying everywhere, "I'm pretty damn tall too, ya know."  
  
"Sarah stop flirting with the guests and help me with dinner," Norah snapped from the kitchen.  
  
"Trust me, that's not flirting," she yelled, "That's being sociable, something you obviously haven't learned. I better help her though, other wise it won't be edible."  
  
Sarah kept the three men cracking up all through dinner, Junior and Jesse didn't show back up. Norah glared at all of them throughout the night. Sarah groaned as, once again, the doorbell rang. She went to answer it, muttering something about crazy people ringing the damn house at all times of night. It was even funnier simply because it was no later than 9. She tugged the door open and came wound looking at a very handsome, green eyes man with rainbow hair.   
  
"Hi, I'm looking for Mark?"  
  
(k, this kinda seems like a mary sue to me, but hey. I had to work jeff in here simply because he seems like the kinda guy who Sarah can relate to. Thanks for all the great reviews, ill keep the chapters flowing if you keep them coming.) 


	8. A bright spot on the horizon

Sarah directed him to Mark, then leaned on the door. She gave a vain attempt to keep her laughter in. There were literally millions of girls her age that would give just about anything to be in her position, and the only thing she was excited about was the fact that he seemed to know where to get good hair dye. How ironic could life get?  
  
**********  
  
Jeff walked into the kitchen, looking slightly confused.  
  
"Who exactly was that?" he asked in way of a greeting. He didn't realize that his mystery woman was right behind him.  
  
"I think I can answer that, actually," she said, causing him to turn, "my name's Sarah, and I'm Mark's stepdaughter." She stuck a ringed hand out. He shook it, noticing every piece of jewelry was silver.   
  
"Nice hair, by the way," he said, silently laughing at her.  
  
"Oh, and like you've got room to talk?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. His was currently purple and blue. One look into her eyes told him she was joking. "It was nice to meet you, but I've something I gotta do," she smiled softly and walked up the stairs to her room. Once she got there, she realized she had no way to get up there. Damn it.  
  
***********  
  
. The four men were in a deep discussion about something or other when Sarah walked in. She silently grabbed a chair and headed back to her room. Mark grabbed her arm as she headed out.  
  
"What are you doing?" he questioned.  
  
"Can't get into my room, forgot to set the ladder down," she muttered.  
  
"So why not get one of the guys to lift you up?" Norah butted in.  
  
"Yea, I'm not you. There's no way in hell I'm giving a guy and excuse to look up my dress," she snapped. Norah's face darkened at her daughters daring. Sarah just rolled her eyes and continued on her quest. Jeff followed her, he had no clue why but he did. He watched as she situated the chair under the attic door, then stood on it and pulled herself up. He felt somewhat guilty when her popped down, smirking at him  
  
"Can I help you, rainbow?" she asked. When he didn't answer she sighed and motioned him to come up. Jeff clambered into the room, somewhat bemused.  
  
*********  
  
"I think the young Mr. Hardy is rather smitten with your firecracker, Mark," Glenn said laughing.  
  
"How is she my firecracker?" he asked, slightly distracted.  
  
"Hey, if you're willing to give her up, I'll take her," Kevin offered. Mark glared at him  
  
"She's had enough shit in her life, I don't think she needs to deal with you," he said softly, thanking god Norah had taken her leave right after her daughter. They heard to soft 'thumps' from upstairs. Then suddenly two bright-haired people came flying into the kitchen.  
  
(K, I got asked if Sarah was going to be introduced to wrestling and to be honest I didn't even think of that. It's a good thing someone brought it up, cuz I woulda hit major writer's block later on without that. Do you guys think she should be? I think she'd make an awesome wrestler. Sorry this ones so short. Oh, and another thing: I can't write romance to save my life. I'm not even going to attempt to.) 


	9. An angel in their midst?

"I've got a question for ya," Sarah said, her eyes bright with excitement.   
  
"And that would be?" Mark asked, wondering what on earth would make the normally emotionless young woman so...upbeat.  
  
"Would you be willing to start training me to wrestle?" she mumbled, casting her eyes at the floor. She shifted from one foot to the other, somewhat nervous of their response.  
  
"She'd be great, I hit her with a pillow and she had me pinned in ten seconds flat," Jeff said, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Sarah sent him an odd look, one that quite clearly said 'Hit me with a pillow again, I'll make damn sure you don't ever reproduce.' She then pulled a hairtie out of her pocket, she'd changed into pajama pants and a big T-shirt, and twisted her wild curls back away from her face. Mark had yet to see her without hair in her face. It was soft and heart shaped, paler than it should have been with such dark eyes. She was stunning, to put it simply. Yet she didn't seem too arrogant about it. Mark was struck dumb; most teenagers that blessed would have been out using it to their advantage.  
  
"So, what do you think Mark?" Kevin asked, drawing him out of his thoughts.   
  
"I think it's a great idea, the company could use some more good female wrestlers. Ones that have talent along with beauty," he said, smiling softly at Sarah. She flushed slightly, understanding what he meant. The five of them sat up for half the night, working out a schedule. Thankfully, the house had plenty of guest rooms.  
  
**********  
  
The next morning, Sarah was the first to wake. She sighed softly, it was still dark out damn it. She tried her damnedest to get back to sleep, but it wasn't going to happen. She groaned and climbed out of her warm bed, headed for her shower. She quickly finished and stared at the mirror. Mark had called her beautiful last night. Did he see the same person she did? She was nowhere near beautiful. She couldn't even pass as pretty. She shrugged and wiggled into a wifebeater with a hoody over it, and a pair of baggy jeans. She made her way slowly to the kitchen. She glanced at the clock on her way down. 6:29. She'd gotten all of 4 hours of sleep then. She decided to forego the cooking and watch TV instead. She sat in front of the TV, watching an infomercial, and remembered why she didn't watch that often. She groaned and stuffed her hands into the front pocket of her hoody and snuggled down into it. She was soon asleep again.  
  
Mark stood at the foot of the stairs, watching Sarah. She was a mystery to him. She could put an emotionless mask up in no time at all. But at other times, when she didn't realize others were watching her, she seemed vulnerable. Like she needed someone to love her. He heard someone walk up behind him. He turned and the first thing he saw was very bright hair.   
  
"She looks so...innocent," Jeff muttered, surveying the sleeping girl.  
  
"She probably is. She doesn't seem like the type of person to open up and get close to people that often," Mark replied, a sadness settling into his chest over her stolen childhood. She'd been forced to grow up far too fast, he realized. She was 17, she acted twice her age. Normally, at least. If she lost her temper she could act like a teenager. He heard people walking around upstairs, so he walked up there to tell them to be quiet so Sarah could sleep.  
  
Jeff sat in a vacant chair, watching Sarah closely. She was sound asleep, her head tilted to the side. She had her body tucked close to her, in a defensive position. She reminded Jeff of an angel, despite the brilliant shade of pink her hair was. He saw Kevin and Glenn walk quietly down the stairs and couldn't help but wonder if they would ever pull his angel out of her shell. He reached down and shook her shoulder, trying to wake her.  
  
(I'm sorry about the wait; I've been amazingly busy and haven't been having a good homelife. Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner, and will be better. This one's horrible. Oh, another thing. I've decided that since so many people are disappointed about no romance, ill try it. But don't complain when it turns out horribly. I actually had this done, but the site was down.) 


	10. PILLOW FIGHT!

(Yea I know these suck, but hey. First, I'd like to thank you all for your wonderful words of encouragement, but none so much as Jeff's favourite skittle. She has gone through and reviewed every chapter. Therefore I dedicate this chapter to her, for she has given me a reason to write even through all the shit I'm dealing with.)  
  
A soft groan tumbled over Sarah's lips as she was pulled from her slumber. She groggily opened her eyes and found green eyes staring into hers. She glared at him, she'd been having a good dream. He sent her an innocent look, which to her distress, made her heart melt. She sighed and pulled her hood over her head, attempting to fall back into the arms of sleep. But Jeff kept poking her, and poking her, until she slyly reached behind her head and grabbed a pillow. She quickly pulled her arm back and smacked him with it. He recoiled in shock. Then retaliated.. The small spiff soon turned into a full out war that attracted the larger men's attentions. They silently stood in the doorway, watching. Then suddenly a pillow flew out and smacked Mark in the face. The look of horror on Jeff's face sent Sarah into laughter. She then threw one at her stepfather. He silently crouched down, causing Jeff to run and hide, and picked one of them up. He approached Sarah, pillow at his side. Sarah smirked up at him.  
  
Mark softly hit her with his pillow. Sarah, always the brave one, returned it. Only hers was 10 times as hard. They duked it out, until Sarah caught him in the stomach, and he fell playfully to his knees. She took the opportunity and started hitting him mercilessly. He laughed as hard as he could, thankful Sarah hadn't lost all sense of childhood. He fell onto his back. He grabbed her pillow as she made to smack him again, and pulled her down to the floor. She tumbled down on top of him. She gently hit him in the stomach, before using him for a pillow. She stretched her legs out, resting her head on his chest. Jeff wandered hesitantly out of his hidey- hole.  
  
"Chicken shit," Sarah shot at him, as soon as she saw him. He stuck his tongue out at her.  
  
"Mature, Hardy," Kevin laughed from his spot in the entrance.  
  
"Where's your mother, Sarah?" Glenn asked. She furrowed her brows in thought.  
  
"Its...Wednesday, she's working today," she said, a slight frown crossing her features. She climbed to her feet, intent on cooking and eating. Her stomach grumbled slightly, reminding her of that fact. She tugged her hoody off and threw it on the couch she'd previously been sleeping on. She made her way into the kitchen to cook. She made a huge breakfast and they all sat down and ate.  
  
"When do you turn 18?" Mark asked her, pushing his plate away. A frown blossomed on his face when she cast her eyes downward.  
  
"Its today, isn't it?" Kevin asked. When she didn't look up he got his answer. She toyed with the hem of her shirt, still studying the tiles on the floor. Jeff pulled her to her feet and wrapped her up in a hug.  
  
**********  
  
Jeff pulled Sarah into Hot Topic. She smirked as she heard the song blasting from the speakers.  
  
I'm tired of being what you want me to be  
  
Feeling so faithless  
  
Lost under the surface  
  
I don't know what you're expecting of me  
  
Put under the pressure  
  
Of walking in your shoes  
  
[Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow]  
  
Every step that I take is another mistake to you [Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow]  
  
I've  
  
Become so numb  
  
I can't feel you there  
  
Become so tired  
  
So much more aware  
  
I'm becoming this  
  
All I want to do  
  
Is be more like me  
  
And be less like you  
  
Can't you see that you're smothering me  
  
Holding too tightly  
  
Afraid to lose control  
  
'Cause everything that you thought I would be  
  
Has fallen apart right in front of you  
  
[Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow]  
  
Every step that I take is  
  
Another mistake to you  
  
[Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow]  
  
And every second I waste  
  
Is more than I can take  
  
And I know  
  
I may end up failing too  
  
But I knowYou were just like me  
  
With someone disappointed in you*  
  
Jeff watched as Sarah wandered around the store, singing to herself. She picked out pants and a few skirts. She made her way into the dressing room to try them on. Jeff was left alone to his thoughts. He was attracted to her, any straight man would be. But it was more than just looks. She had one hell of a mind. She'd showed him some of her poems. They'd been dark, but well written. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Sarah walked up to the counter, prepared to pay. Jeff quickly intervened. Sarah frowned at him, but didn't put up a fight. 


	11. Birthday Outings

Jeff and Sarah were in his car, headed back to her place. She was somewhere in space, singing under her breath to Nirvana. She refused to look at him. She didn't want to be spoiled, and she'd had more than enough money to pay for the clothes. They'd been gone for close to 2 hours, she realized glancing at her watch. She sighed and slouched in her seat. Jeff pondered why she would act this way. It hadn't been that much and she deserved something on her birthday. Her 18th birthday at that. Jeff decided to take her out to the movies, as opposed to going home. He was going to make damn sure she had a good birthday, no matter how hard she fought.  
  
********  
  
Sarah watched Jeff as he watched "The Cat in the Hat." She couldn't believe this man was 26. He didn't act his age. She settled more comfortably in her seat, yawning slightly. Completely oblivious to the fact that Jeff had turned his attention from the movie to her. She was obviously tired, she was basically asleep. He gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders, inviting her to use him as a pillow. She happily obliged, burrowing into his chest and sliding into slumber. Jeff had to wake her a little over an hour later. She frowned up at him with cloudy eyes.   
  
"The movies over," he explained. She groaned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.   
  
"I dun wanna go home," she complained, "My mom's probably off work." Jeff mused over the situation for a minute before the light bulb clicked on.  
  
"I've got an idea......," he said, his eyes twinkling mischievously. Sarah couldn't help but be apprehensive at the look, but she leaned in to hear what he had to say. He explained as they walked to his car, and Sarah readily agreed.  
  
********  
  
Mark, Glenn, and Kevin were going from store to store, separately, trying to find something to get Sarah. None of them were having much luck yet. Then Mark walked past a jewelry store window. Inside it sat a beautiful silver charm bracelet. He walked in and bought it, along with a few charms to hang off of it. He wondered what on earth Jeff was doing to his stepdaughter. Probably getting help on deciding what color to do his hair next, he though with a grin.  
  
********  
  
Kevin wasn't as lucky as Mark. He didn't just walk past a window and get inspiration. He had to actually put his brain into motion, as difficult as that could be at times. And seeing as he didn't know her all that well made it all the more hard. He groaned to himself. He was going to be out here all day if he didn't think of something soon. Then he saw a toy store. Hmm....this could be fun he thought headed through the door.  
  
********  
  
Glenn had gone out, knowing exactly what he was going to get. He exited the music shop with his gift in arms.  
  
*******  
  
Almost 5 hours after the movie let out, Sarah and Jeff were headed to her house. Jeff was guessing the other men had gone out and gotten something for her. He watched the young woman shift uncomfortably in her seat, digging through his CDs. She sent him an odd look.  
  
"Why do you have Alanis Morissette's CD?" she asked.  
  
"Birthday present," he muttered, "Its good though. Put it on number 8." She did as he said and let the words flow over her.  
  
I had no choice but to hear you   
  
You stated your case time and again   
  
I thought about it   
  
You treat me like   
  
I'm a princess   
  
I'm not used to liking that   
  
You ask how my day was   
  
You've already won me over in spite of me   
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet   
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are   
  
I couldn't help it   
  
It's all your fault   
  
Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole   
  
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for   
  
That's not lip service   
  
You've already won me over in spite of me   
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet   
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are   
  
I couldn't help it   
  
It's all your fault   
  
You are the bearer of unconditional things   
  
You held your breath and the door for me   
  
Thanks for your patience  
  
  
  
You're the best listener that I've ever met   
  
You're my best friend Best friend with benefits   
  
What took me so long   
  
I've never felt this healthy before   
  
I've never wanted something rational   
  
I am aware now   
  
I am aware now   
  
You've already won me over in spite of me   
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet   
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are   
  
I couldn't help it  
  
It's all your fault  
  
Sarah groaned as they pulled up to her house. Her mother's car was in the drive. She was going to flip when she saw what Sarah had done to herself.  
  
(Cliffhanger.....what did Jeff take Sarah to do? Oh yeah, that * at the end of the last chapter was for: *Numb, by Linkin Park. Its not mine, sadly. Then this other song is Alanis Morissette, Head over Heels. I apologize for the filler chapters, but life's not really going too much better at the moment. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, even if I do think this story sucks. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out either tomorrow or the next day.) 


	12. Mommy's explosion

Sarah didn't give anyone in the den a second glance as she headed towards her room. She was more focused on getting something on that didn't irritate her new tattoo. Bags in hand, she climbed up to her room. She pulled on a pair of sweatpants, rolling the waist down below her hipbone. She glanced at the heart. It was the very first tattoo idea she'd ever had. A simple black heart with a red rose wrapped around it. A thorn pushed its way in, making it bleed. It symbolized Sarah, in her eyes. The heart was her, cold and unfeeling. Dead in a sense. The rose was whoever bothered to get close enough to make her feel again. She was still looking for her rose. She wiggled into a small top that ended above her navel and made the descent down to the living room. As Sarah had guessed, her mother went off as soon as she walked in.  
  
"What the fuck did you do? You're a kid still, you can't get a tattoo yet," she exploded. Mark couldn't believe his ears. His wife had forgotten her own child's birthday.   
  
"Get the fuck out of my house," Sarah whispered, the look of hurt on her face making every man in there feel like hugging her and never letting go.   
  
"You can't kick me out. You aren't 18," Norah said, looking confused.  
  
"She turned 18 today, you stupid airhead," Jeff snapped. He pulled Sarah close to him, then sat down. She curled up in his lap, as best she could. Her hipbone hurt. She groaned and instead stretched out on the couch, using his lap for a cushion. Norah stood, and silently walked out. Sarah shut her eyes, fully intent on going to sleep again. But Mark nudged her.   
  
"Can I help you?" she asked, popping an eye open.  
  
"Yea, sit your ass on the floor and open the stuff we went out and bought," Kevin, always the smart-ass, chimed in. Sarah looked confused, but did as asked. Or told, really. Mark tossed his to her first. Her eyes widened as she looked at the box. It obviously held jewelry. You can't mistake those boxes. She opened it and saw the charm bracelet. It had a small guitar, cello, rainbow, teardrop, and angel dangling from it. For the first time in a very long time, Sarah was struck speechless. She openly gaped at her stepfather, then decided to throw caution to the wind. She launched herself at him, hugging him tight.  
  
"Damn it, why didn't I get a reaction like that?" Jeff asked, in all seriousness.   
  
"Cuz you didn't buy me a pretty bracelet," Sarah said, beaming.   
  
"No, I just bought you 200 dollars worth of clothes, and a tattoo," he grumbled, crossing his arms. Sarah rolled her eyes and went and hugged him too. She then situated herself in his lap.   
  
"Who's next?" she asked. Jeff gently wrapped his arms round her middle, being mindful of the new tattoo. Kevin set a huge box in front of her. She raised an eyebrow and opened it. Then began to laugh as hard as she could. Inside was an bunch of Care Bears. They were all Sleepy Bear, in many different sizes. She pulled out a middle sized one and hugged it close to her.  
  
"I don't get a hug?" he asked, pouting.  
  
"Nope, I'm too damn comfortable," she said. Glenn handed her a long box. She raised her eyebrow again. She pulled the top off, and gasped when she saw what was inside. It was a black bass guitar, with silver flames shooting up from the bottom. How had he known? Black and silver was her favorite color combination. She felt the tears spring to her eyes. She couldn't remember ever feeling this loved. She blinked them away. She could feel the silly grin on her face. She stood and pulled the guitar up with her. She quickly put it with the rest of her instruments. Bouncing back up the stairs, she felt like she was in heaven. She stopped on her way back to Jeff's lap to hug Glenn and Kevin. She sat back down like she had been and kept her bear close to her. She loved the Care Bears for whatever reason. She reflected on the gifts. One proclaimed innocence, another maturity. And Glenn's showed how thoughtful people could be. She snuggled against Jeff, who was holding her close. She felt safe in his arms. She reached over and grabbed the remote. She pushed power, and turned it to MTV2.Bring me to life, by Evanescence, was on. She'd managed to catch the beginning. Jeff listened to her sing with it. She had a beautiful voice. It wasn't too high, or too low. It wasn't raspy, flowing perfectly. Was there anything his angel couldn't do?  
  
(hey, 2 chapters in like 4 hours. That's good for me. Im really starting to get writers block, damn it. But ill try and keep them coming. Thank you all for the wonderful words. Im getting close to the 10,000 word mark too! YAY!) 


	13. Southern comfort

An hour later found Sarah asleep in Jeff's arms. This left the men free to talk about what had happened today. Jeff looked sadly at his sleeping angel. Her own mother didn't love her.  
  
"I can't believe Norah forgot her birthday," Mark sighed, rubbing his temples.  
  
"I've never seen anyone look as sad as Sarah did when her mother didn't realize it was her birthday," Kevin said, his voice melancholy.  
  
"It made me wanna grab her and never let go," Jeff whispered, unconsciously pulling Sarah even closer than she was.  
  
"You're doing a damn good job so far, kid," Glenn said, being totally serious. Jeff smiled a slightly sad smile. Sarah shifted to where her face was in the crook of his neck. Jeff gently pressed his cheek against the top of her head and closed his eyes. The older men smiled to each other at this. They knew exactly what was going on.   
  
"Why don't we all go to bed? You can just take Sarah with you, I don't think she'll mind," Mark said, standing. They all nodded and followed suit, Jeff being careful not to wake the woman. Silently they went to bed, visions of heartbroken angels in their minds.  
  
*********  
  
Sarah awoke the next morning with arms wrapped around her middle, and her face against a bare chest. Her mind took a moment to process this information, and then screamed "WHAT THE HELL?". She leaned back and caught a glimpse of purple hair. 'Oh, its just Jeff', she thought, sighing mentally. A sharp pain in her hipbone region brought her attention back to last night. Her mother had not only freaked out on her, but completely ignored her birthday. There was no way in hell Norah had forgotten. Sarah absent-mindedly snuggled closer to Jeff, needing the comfort. It hurt. Not the heart on her hip, but the one in her chest. She didn't hear Jeff stir. The tears welled up in her eyes and she couldn't stop them this time. They poured down her face.  
  
Jeff gently hugged her tighter, rubbing her back. Sarah wrapped her arms around him, unable to stop her emotions. She wasn't just crying for last night, but for all the shit her mother had put her through. She'd never truly cried over any of it. Her mother had forced her daddy to go away, by stupid choices. She'd treated Sarah like a second class citizen, just because she looked like her father. Yet she treated Junior like gold, because he looked just like HIS father. She'd never met Junior's dad. She wasn't even really sure what Junior's real name was. Norah went out and married rich men, milking them for all they were worth. Most of them had treated Sarah like shit, which was why she'd been so mean towards Mark that first night. She didn't wanna get hurt. She'd been through enough. Sarah felt the tears subsiding.  
  
Jeff gently pushed her out to arms reach, so he could see her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy. Her hair was slightly out of control, going everywhere. Her cheeks held tearstains and were still wet. She'd never looked more beautiful to Jeff. He was finally seeing the human, hurt side of her. He softly dried her face with the pads of his thumbs. He looked into her eyes. True, they were slightly off color and pained, but they held a quiet determination. And great pride, making them glow.   
  
Sarah looked back into his. They held innocence, patience, sympathy, and shocking enough, love. She frowned as she studied him. She'd always had a thing for green eyes. It was one of those things you couldn't explain. His eyes comforted her. She had never been held while she cried. That may have been the explanation for the warmth in her heart she was feeling toward the flamboyant man. She reached up and rubbed her eyes, they hurt too.   
  
"I'll be right back, ok?" Jeff asked climbing out of the bed. Sarah nodded, feeling confused. He was just in boxers. She watched him as he pulled on a pair of jeans he'd brought with him. He'd planned on finding a hotel when he got here, as had Glenn and Kevin. So they all had clean clothes. He walked out of the room, bare from the waist up. Sarah rolled over and glance at the clock on the nightstand. It was close to 10:00. She shut her eyes and groaned slightly. She felt something cool and wet go over her eyes. Ah, so that was what Jeff had gone to get. He settled back into the bed and Sarah pulled the cloth off her eyes. She quickly located him and used his chest for her pillow. She placed the washcloth back over her face, sighing at the relief. She felt his arms go back around her, and couldn't help feeling like there was no place she'd rather be.  
  
********  
  
15 minutes later, Sarah grumbled and climber out of the bed. She needed to shower. She softly kissed Jeff's cheek, before departing. She all but skipped upstairs. Jeff on the other hand, walked downstairs. He had a hand placed over the cheek he'd been kissed on and a dreamy look on his face. (I really did that look when I got kissed on the cheek by my crush once. I was also like, 14). Mark and Kevin were sitting in the living room, Glenn was out getting food. That way Sarah didn't have to cook. They heard the radio upstairs turn on, and knew Sarah was showering.   
  
"She kissed you didn't she," Kevin asked, laughing inwardly at the look on the Hardy's face. He nodded, still out in la-la land.   
  
"I suggest you snap out of it, before Sarah comes back down," Mark said. Jeff did as suggested, his eyes becoming more focused. He realized he was still shirtless, but truly didn't care. Sarah stirred feelings he'd thought were dead inside him. The need to protect, keep from harm. He hadn't felt these since he'd had his heart broken by Beth. He heard a thump from upstairs, and knew Sarah would be coming down. They all cast their eyes toward the stairway as she came gliding down. She was wearing a floor length black skirt, slung enticingly low on her hips. Her shirt was once again small, ending an inch above her navel. Her tattoo still looked slightly irritated and inflamed. She'd twisted her hair back away from her face, holding it with one of those clippy things. She wasn't wearing any shoes.  
  
"Where's Glenn?" she questioned as she realized he wasn't there.  
  
"What no hello for Big Sexy?" Kevin teased.   
  
"Nope, I wanna know where Glenn is," Sarah said sitting down next to Jeff. Kevin pouted, causing Sarah to shake her head and throw a pillow at him. He threw it back, but she just took it and put it where she'd gotten it. She rested her head on Jeff's shoulder. The TV was on Spongebob Squarepants. Sarah raised an eyebrow, but got comfortable. She pulled her legs up behind her, curling up against Jeff more. Neither of the "punks", as they were called by most, noticed Glenn walk back in. They were too wrapped up in the cartoon.  
  
(YAY!!!! My longest chapter, and it didn't even have song lyrics in it. I'm pretty sure this puts me over the 10,000-word mark and now I'm proud of myself. Things are finally looking up for me, seeing as I realized last night that I was head over heels in love. So......YAY!! It's a good day today. Review won't you? It'll make the day even better. I love you guys, you rule.) 


	14. Silhouettes

The next few days flew by, Sarah and Jeff growing closer each passing hour. They were sitting in her music room, jamming. Jeff was on acoustic guitar, Sarah singing her heart out.  
  
Silhouettes above the cradle hold me down  
  
they won't let me go the wrong way  
  
my mother taught me all the fables, told me how  
  
in the end all the sinners have to pay  
  
but...  
  
I don't wanna live like my mother  
  
I don't wanna let fear rule my life  
  
and I don't wanna live like my father  
  
I don't wanna give up before I die  
  
he worked so hard his bones are breaking  
  
he wore them down but long ago he lost the feeling  
  
his good intentions leave me shaking, show me how  
  
I don't ever want to end up like he did  
  
and...  
  
When I have kids  
  
I won't put any chains on their wrists, I won't  
  
I'll tell them this  
  
there's nothing in this world that you can't be if you want it enough  
  
I don't wanna live like my mother  
  
I don't wanna let fear rule my life  
  
and I don't wanna live like my father  
  
I don't wanna give up before I die  
  
I don't wanna live like my mother  
  
I don't wanna let fear rule my life  
  
and I don't wanna live like my father  
  
I don't wanna give up before I die**  
  
Unbeknownst to the two, Sarah's brother stood in the doorway. He was furious that she'd had the balls to kick their mother out. He listened to the woman sing, sneering the whole time.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing, throwing mum out on the streets like that!?" he hollered as soon as the last note ended. Sarah's head snapped up in shock, she had kept her gaze on the floor throughout the song. Jeff had, naturally, been watching her.  
  
"One, it's my choice. Two, she forgot my birthday, like someone else in this room. Three, I didn't throw her onto the streets; I just kicked her out of my house. Four, Mark's better off without her anyway. He's too nice of a guy to be manipulated like that. I need to talk to him soon...that's not the point though. The point is that since technically my name is on the deed to this house, I can do whatever my little heart desires. She didn't pay rent, so I didn't have to give her the 30 day notice or anything like that, and I was tired of her shit. It was about time she got put into her place," Sarah answered, quite calmly. Her gaze was unwaveringly staring holes into her brother, and she didn't bother to stand. Jeff, on the other hand, did.  
  
"Who're you to say what she can and can't do, anyway? Seems to me that the only reason you've been around is because she's friends with Jesse...speaking of which, where's he at? If he's really her best friend, why'd he blow her off on her birthday?" he demanded, paying no attention to the gentle hand on his forearm.  
  
Junior's eyes narrowed dangerously, and he lunged at Jeff. He caught the older man in the mid-section, knocking him to the ground. Sarah shrieked in shock, and jumped back. The scuffle continued to escalate, Sarah watching dumbfounded. The two men were rolling around on the ground, landing punches where they could. The girl's scream had attracted the 3 big men upstairs, and they came lumbering into the basement. Mark quickly pulled the two apart and surveyed the damage. Junior had a busted lip and was bleeding something fierce and had a nice bruise on the left side of his chin. Jeff had no more than a good bruise forming around his eye. Sarah shook her head at the two.  
  
"Junior, get the fuck out of my house and don't come back. Same applies to Jesse, I don't ever want to see him again. Jeff, come with me; we need to get ice on that ice before it swells like a balloon," she sighed, gently pulling the bright-haired man from the room. She tugged him upstairs, silently listening for the sound of a door opening then closing. She sat him at the kitchen table, rummaging around in her freezer for an ice pack. She found one, and grabbed a dish towel out of a drawer. Standing next to Jeff, she laid it over the black eye. He held it there, motioning for Sarah to sit beside him. She took the offer, her penetrating eyes focused on him. Silence rang loud and clear in the room.  
  
"I was only defending myself, you know. You shouldn't be mad at me," he muttered, not liking the tension. She blinked at him, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Who said I was mad at you? I'm mad, I'll admit...but at Junior. He had no right to attack you like that. I was just waiting for the sound of someone leaving," she said, frowning. Jeff didn't like her frowning anymore than he liked the thought of her being mad at him. The front door slowly creaked open, then was slammed shut. Sarah sighed and placed her elbows on the table, setting her head in her hands. Jeff laid a hand on her back, hoping to be of some comfort. He heard the muffled sobs and felt his heart break. She may not have been the most lady-like of people, but she definitely didn't deserve all this. He laid the ice on the table and drew Sarah into his arms, resting his chin on her head.  
  
(** 'Silhouettes' by Smile Empty Soul. Hey ya'll, I'm back. Sorry about the wait, but I've been on cloud nine and not in the mood to write. That and making up for a huge mistake on my part involving my guy. We're cool though. There should be more soon, the romance should be a lil ways in the future. My guy's gone and turned me mushy...I was actually glad it was Valentine's Day yesterday. But that's enough of that...I'm grinning like an idiot now. Review, if you feel the urge...it'll make me smile even more. Oh, and I'm sorry about all the song lyrics...I'm a huge music person.) 


	15. Revelations

Sarah lay in her hammock, Jeff spooned up behind her. No words passed between the two as they watched the sun set. He held her protectively, Sarah thought. Almost as though he truly cared about her. With one of his legs threaded through hers and his arms locked around her, it would seem that way to anyone. Mark sighed from his place at the sliding door to the back porch. They were going back on the road tomorrow, Norah included in the group. He did love her, no matter how she'd treated her daughter. He'd still fallen for her, and was seriously feeling the need to have her next to him. Sarah had no clue her mother would be joining them, and he knew she wasn't going to be too happy about it. But it was Mark's choice, and Norah would be beside him, even if Sarah hated him for it.   
  
"What do you think the other wrestlers are gonna think of me?" Sarah asked Jeff quietly. He shrugged, thinking.  
  
"If they're smart, they'll adore you. A good number of them are assholes though, so watch out. I don't think the divas will like you too much, but that's because of jealousy," he said resting his chin atop her head. He wouldn't be at every show with her, but she would make other friends quickly he was sure. She was too much of a people magnet not to. He pulled her closer, yawning slightly.  
  
"You sure? I'm almost positive Mark's gonna be bringing my mom with him, so I'm not gonna be too happy of a person...he has that right though, I suppose. She is his wife, and he had to have married her for a reason," Sarah sighed, relaxing into the man's embrace. She didn't want to have to bother with meeting new people; she had a good person right there with her.   
  
"You really think Mark would do that? He know you can't stand your mother," Jeff questioned, not quite sure as to what made her think that.   
  
"I know he will, because I know he loves her for whatever reason," she muttered, nodding.   
  
"You poor kid. Well, I'll be at every show I can make, I promise. But that's probably not gonna be very many. So yes, you're going to have to face all the others, or be a loner. Take your pick, kiddo," he said, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. She managed to turn herself around, placing her head in the crook of his neck.  
  
"But, I don't want to...people have a habit of not liking me, because I'm not afraid to speak my mind," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.   
  
**********  
  
Glenn had come up behind Mark and was also listening to the conversation.  
  
"It's going to kill her to leave him, she's gotten rather attached. It'll probably be the same for him," he said quietly, "Bringing her mother's just going to make it worse for the child."  
  
"I love Norah. Sarah will just have to deal. And if Jeff's going to miss her that badly, he can just go to more shows," Mark snapped at him.   
  
"Jeff left the business for a reason, being on the road so often was taking its toll on him. I don't think Sarah would as for him to do it again," Glenn said, his voice betraying nothing.  
  
"Are you going to argue with me on every little fucking thing!? Norah is my wife, I love her, she will be coming with me. Now drop it, Glenn," Mark said, fighting to keep his voice at a low level.   
  
"Fine, but just wait. Norah's going to cheat on you, and you won't even have Sarah after that. You're going to betray that young woman's trust, the faith she's put into you. How's that make you feel Mark? Selfish, perhaps?" Glenn snapped back, silently leaving the room. Mark glared after his friend, refusing to face the truth.   
  
**********  
  
"Shane Helms will like you, I'd bet money on that. So will my brother, and Shannon Moore. I'm coming to the first show with you, so I'll introduce you and make sure they treat you like the angel you are," Jeff said, mentally smacking himself for the angel remark.  
  
"Angel? Me? You seein' the same person I see when I look in the mirror there, buddy boy? I'm no angel, I have too big of a mouth," Sarah replied laughing.  
  
"If you say so, munchkin," Jeff muttered in response. He sighed to himself, thanking God Sarah hadn't taken it the way he'd meant it.   
  
"Munchkin? I've got to be the tallest one alive. You have noticed I'm tall, right?" she asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.   
  
"Well, yea. But I'm still taller than you, so you're a munchkin. Get it?" Jeff asked, discreetly sliding a hand to her ribs where he knew she was most ticklish.   
  
"You're an odd, odd man Jeff," she muttered. A soft squeal escaped her lips as Jeff pinched her side. He then hurriedly climbed out of the hammock, rushing towards the house. Sarah followed, coming close to tripping. He tore off towards the basement. Sarah laughed softly. That door could be locked from the outside. She waited for him to get there, before sneaking down and locking it. She heard him rattling the doorknob, trying to figure out what was going on.   
  
"Tickle me, huh? This is whatcha get, dweeb," she said, laughing. She silently made her way back up the stairs, leaving Jeff wondering. 


	16. Heartache

An hour later, Sarah had yet to release Jeff from his cell. She sat up in her room, pondering things that had occurred recently. One Jeff Hardy had popped up, and suddenly she was feeling human again. She had gotten a step- father she could stand, for once, but he was going to choose her mother over her. Kevin and Glenn were great. She would be meeting new people soon, as much as she found herself not wanting to. Jeff was leaving her to face them alone, not that she blamed him. One week of getting to know someone wasn't enough to make them care about you. She headed down to unlock the door and let Jeff out.  
  
**********  
  
Jeff sat on the floor, thinking like Sarah. She was smart, funny, beautiful, everything he'd ever looked for in a woman. He'd spend forever with her, given the chance. But instead, he was going to North Carolina, while she toured the country. Alone. In the presence of dozens of other men. What the hell was he thinking? Sarah was meant to be with him, and no one else. A sharp ringing brought his attention back to being locked in the basement. He answered his phone, frowning when the familiar voice drifted through to his ear.  
  
"Jeff? Hey, I know it's been a while, but I miss you. Please, Jeff, give me another chance. I know what I did was wrong, but I love you. I want to be with you," the female voice busted out before he could even say hello.  
  
"Beth, I don't know what to say to you. You shattered my world, doing what you did to me. Why on earth would I give you another chance?" he muttered. He couldn't believe she had the nerve to call him after so long. He felt an ocean of emotion well up inside of him at his ex's voice. Pain, hurt, love. He still loved her.  
  
"Can you honestly say you don't love me anymore?" she asked, her voice sounding arrogant and demeaning.  
  
"Yes, Beth, I love you," he sighed, unaware to the fact that Sarah was standing just outside the door. She silently did an about-face and walked back upstairs, her heart slowly breaking. She waited 15, 20 minutes until she was sure she had her emotions under control and let him out.  
  
**********  
  
Sarah never mentioned hearing the conversation to Jeff, though he noticed something was amiss. She wasn't as talkative, and was constantly drifting off into her own thoughts. He questioned her, but she revealed nothing. A quick change of subject was her choice. They went to bed, Jeff still wondering just what had happened to his angel. He set the alarm clock before sliding into bed. His dreams that night were of utter confusion, and an angel crying black tears.  
  
**********  
  
Sarah couldn't bring herself to have a normal conversation with him after hearing his heart was already taken. Her mask, something that hadn't made an appearance as of late, had gone up almost immediately. First Junior and Jesse, now Mark and Jeff. She just couldn't keep a guy close to her for some reason. She too set her alarm, but her dreams that night were of heartache, the star being an angel with black stains covering her cheeks.  
  
(I say this a lot, but sorry for the wait. Things have decided to go straight to hell...but I'm not gonna depress ya'll with my life story. Finally! Drama, problems, things I have plenty of experience in. Things should get rolling soon.) 


	17. Regret

(I'm sorry guys, but this is going to be the last chapter... at least, for a little while. I'll go ahead and explain. Remember I said I'd fallen in love? He decided to break my heart, and therefore, I've lost my muse... I apologize from the bottom of my heart... or, what's left of it at least.)  
  
Sarah awoke the next morning, feeling more down and out than ever. She silently showered, pain ripping through her heart. A guy she might finally have been able to fall in love with, and he was taken. She struggled harshly to get her masks, her walls, into place. She forced herself to become numb. She stepped out of the shower, and peered into her mirror. Eyes cold and blank stared at her, something that was rare. She felt every emotion slide from her body as she battled her inner demons. She dried off and dressed, pulled the three rings from her eyebrow, and then the top six from her ears. The holes would close, she knew this... and that was exactly what she wanted. She wanted to have something to re-pierce, when she was finally was ready to feel again. The only problem was, she didn't know when that would be.  
  
Jeff paced his room, curious as to what could have caused such drastic change in his angel. She'd begun treating him as she treated everyone else, with nothing more than tolerance. He hated it. She made him feel so special. Like, he was the only person that mattered. Perhaps she'd changed her mind, and didn't want to get involved with someone who couldn't be there for her at all times. Hell, that was a good point. With his luck, he'd be there at all times, except when she needed him.  
  
Sarah grabbed her bags, throwing them unceremoniously onto the ground below her room. She followed suit, a pair of flip flops in hand. She picked up what she'd just thrown, and began her way down the stairs. Her thoughts were distracting her, enough so she didn't register Jeff saying good morning to her. She silently walked down the stairs to her living room, only to be greeted by the site of her mother sitting on a couch.  
  
"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE!?" she screamed, having finally found her vent to let her frustrations out. Her mother jumped, clearly startled, and looked at her daughter, somewhat afraid. Sarah's naturally pitch-black eyes had lightened to a soft brown in her anger, something that Norah had only seen happen one time before. When Sarah's last step-father had made a pass at her.  
  
"Marl sa-," she began.  
  
"Oh, and since when is this Mark's house? I banned you, I told you I never wanted to see you here again. What part of that didn't get through that thick skull of yours?" Norah winced as sparks flew from her daughter's eyes, aimed directly at her.  
  
"She's only here so she can go with us," Mark snapped. Sarah whipped around in fury, glaring at her stepdad.  
  
"For the last goddamn time! This is MY house, not yours. I specifically said I never wanted her here, and you went against my orders. Both of you, get the fuck out... NOW" she roared, her eyes now a honey color. Flames swirled in them, giving her a frightening appearance. Even Mark, Kevin, and Glenn were shaken at that. It was almost as though she had some power. She stood there, a storm beginning to rage in her eyes, until Mark grabbed his bags and headed toward the door. Norah silently followed, sending a morose and melancholy look at her daughter. Had anyone paid closer attention, they'd have noticed something else in that single glance. Regret. 


	18. Rexall

Sarah shook her head, and sighed unhappily. She gathered her things and followed her mother and stepdad. Good thing she had her own car. Glenn, Kevin, and Jeff did the same.  
  
Sarah popped her Linkin Park CD into her player as she followed the guys. She tapped her hands on the steering wheel, and belted the lyrics.  
  
_Sometimes I  
  
Need to remember just to breathe  
  
Sometimes I  
  
Need you to stay away from me  
  
Sometimes I'm  
  
In disbelief I didn't know  
  
Somehow I  
  
Need you to go _

_Sometimes I  
  
Feel like I trusted you too well  
  
Sometimes I  
  
Just feel like screaming at myself  
  
Somestimes I'm  
  
In Disbelief I didn't know  
  
Somehow I  
  
Need to be alone _

_Don't stay  
  
Forget our memories  
  
Forget our possibilities  
  
What you were changing me into  
  
[Just give me myself back and]  
  
Don't stay  
  
Forget our memories  
  
Forget our possibilities  
  
Take all your faithlessness with you  
  
[Just give me myself back and]  
  
Don't Stay _

_I don't need you anymore  
  
I don't want to be ignored  
  
I don't need one more day  
  
Of you wasting me away _

_With no apologies_  
  
The rest of them drove in silence, checking that Sarah was behind them every so often. They watched her, wondering what had happened. Finally, after 6 long hours, they arrived at the hotel.

"There's no love left in your eyes, there's love between your thighs..." Sarah breathed as she walked past them to get her room key. Jeff stared quizzically after her, an eyebrow raised. She went to her room, never saying a word to any of them.

An hour later, all the men but Mark sat in Jeff's room, talking about none other than Sarah.

"She's been acting strangely lately. I can't figure out why," Jeff sighed.

"How long? Do you know for sure?" Kevin asked.

"Since... she locked me in the basement, I think... yeah, right after that, when she let me out, that's when she started being weird," he said, frowning. Surely, she couldn't have heard him say 'I love you' to Beth... uh- oh. If she did, and hadn't stuck around after that... big uh-oh.

(Back to lyrics . sorry bout that... anyway, I know it's short, and I'm sorry... but it's better than nothing, right?)


	19. Goodbye

**I am so, so, so sorry.. well, assuming anyone's still reading this piece of crap. Anyway, I'm sorry it's been over a year. But, if you're just now reading, you must keep in mind, I began this story waaaaaay back in the end of 2002. So, that's why most things don't match up. I'm simply finishing this up, in hopes of it not bothering my muse anymore. I might do a sequel that matches up to the storylines a bit better later on.. or a whole new story..I'm not sure yet. I don't have a lot of spare time. And, as always, I don't own anything. If I did, I'd be rich, and definitely not online.**

Sleep did not come easy to any of the men that night. They all had many, many things on their mind. Sarah, on the other hand, did not sleep at all. Instead, she plotted her escape. Oh, what a shock it would be when they woke up to find her gone. And they deserved it, yes siree bob.

"Fuckers. I hate them all.. 'cept Glenn, and Kevin," she mumbled, glancing down at the notebook she had between her legs. She was sitting Indian-style on her hotel room floor, scribbling away. She couldn't leave tonight, there wasn't enough time to get far enough away. She would do it tomorrow. Tomorrow evening, at about 7. No one would notice her leave, no one would care. She would check out, and fade away from their lives forever. Go back home, get a few necessities, and then disappear forever.

"This is gonna kill poor Kevin and Glenn.. maybe I should leave them notes.." the young woman ponders to herself. Nothing much in the notes, other than she was alive, and intact. She would say she was "ok," but she really wasn't. In the small time frame between hearing Jeff murmur those three little words and now, she'd lost sense of who she was. She'd become unhinged. She needed to get away from all the pain for a while. Find herself again. Before she snapped and did damage to someone, be it herself or some innocent victim. Absently twirling a silver and sapphire ring around her left ring finger, she reached over and picked up her cell phone, and quickly dialed a number she had memorized. Patiently waiting momentarily for whoever to pick up, she tapped her nails on top of the notebook. Smiling briefly as she heard the soft voice, she replies back in a voice hardly above a whisper.

"Wanna trade cars? I need something that can't be traced. I'll give the car to your brother when I get there, and he can get me a new car. I just.. I need to disappear. You up to helping me?"

Nodding slowly, and smiling once again, a cold light appeared in her eyes. The ones that hurt her would finally pay.

* * *

Sarah put up with the group for lunch the next day, none of them realizing she would soon be gone. She seemed as normal as she had been lately. Her mother and stepfather either didn't realize something was off about her, or didn't care. They simple chattered on and on in that sickeningly sweet newlywed way. Sarah wound up leaving early, not shocking anyone. But, as he watched her leave, Glenn got the weirdest feeling that something horrible would soon be happening.

Sarah felt eyes upon her as she made her exit. It sort of made her sad. She knew that Glenn and Kevin would take it badly, but they should be able to understand that it was necessary. A small voice in her head screamed at her that she was lying to herself to make her guilt go away, but she didn't bother to listen.

A few hours later, she sat once again, scribbling in her notebook. Silently folding up the two letters she'd written and writing names on the front, she stood, leaving them on the neatly-made bed. Grabbing her ags, she silently slipped out the door, and down the back exit way. She'd alreadyleft a message with the front desk that if anyone came asking for her, to please give them her room key. After throwing her bags into the trunk, and climbing into her car, she stared at the hotel.

"Kevin.. Glenn.. I'm so sorry.." she whispered, a tear trailing down her cheek. She knew she wouldn't be found until she wanted to be. And that was exactly what she wanted.


End file.
